


Tropic of Cancer

by edvic, writingramblr



Series: at my local spot [1]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst and Smut, Blow Jobs, Coming In Pants, M/M, Summer Romance, one night stands become two night stands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-13
Updated: 2017-08-13
Packaged: 2018-12-14 19:44:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11790144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edvic/pseuds/edvic, https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingramblr/pseuds/writingramblr
Summary: While out of town on business, Percy meets an intriguing young man and finds his self control tested.





	Tropic of Cancer

**Author's Note:**

> It was just a 4am note about dunkirk flyboys, how did this happen?-w.r.
> 
> I haven't even seen that movie.-e.

Winding down in the bar after getting off from a double shift out at the pool might not have made sense, but Credence always slept better after an ice cold mojito, or two or three. Tina was the best damned bartender the Plaza had, and likely would ever have. He slid into the seat at the end of the bartop and smiled over at her, catching her mid sentence through a conversation with someone else, the one other lone customer, a fancy dressed businessman who looked about as exhausted as Credence felt.

“Same as usual for you Cree?”

“Yes, please.”

“Where is everyone?”

“It’s Wednesday Teenie.”

“Right. So?”

Credence grinned,

“Not everyone is your sister, drinking every night of the week and teaching two step.”

“Shh-hh.”

Her wink told him that she wasn’t too wounded by the implication. They all partied and drank as much as they could the second they were off the clock. The tropical location helped things seem like a vacation all the time, and Credence couldn’t complain. He enjoyed the work and loved being in the water. Until he got swarmed by kiddies needing basic backstroke lessons.

He drank deeply from his mojito and gave the businessman a sly sideways glance, only freezing when he noticed he was being checked right back out.

“Long day?”

“You have no idea.”

The man appeared to be nursing a glass of straight… whiskey maybe? Credence squinted at the amber liquid, and watched how the man winced when he took a large swallow, before setting it down none too gently. He got mildly distracted by the hands, broad, large enough to probably fit over his whole mouth, or maybe dig into his thigh.

Whoa.

Credence looked away promptly and stared at the mint leaf in his glass, before downing half of it.

“So… what brings you here, business or pleasure?”

Credence gulped,

“I technically-… pleasure.”

He caught Tina staring at him in the mirror, making minute gestures, urging him to get closer to the man, and she mouthed ‘ _introduce yourself_ ’ at him. He spared a glance to the man’s left hand just in case, and spotted nothing, so he cleared his throat, and stuck out his hand,

“Cree Jones. Nice to meet you.”

The man took it, confirming Credence’s half mad fantasies about grip and span of his fingers,

“Percy Graves. The pleasure is all mine.”

 

Four drinks later, and Credence was tempted to just ask if they could go somewhere, anywhere more private than the back booth in the bar, and Tina was giving him a non too subtle thumbs up as he finally voiced his thought. Next thing he knew, Percy had guided them over to the elevator with a hand at his lower back, burning through the thin shirt Credence had tossed on once out of the sun.

His heartbeat pounded in his ears like so many ocean waves that he crashed into upon wiping out over his surfboard, and he kept glancing over to Percy as they waited to arrive on his floor. Their hands brushed together, as they stood side by side, and Credence gave him a nervous smile, as he grinned back.

“I don’t do this very often.” He finally blurted out, and Percy ducked his head,

“I never do this.”

“I’ve never hit on a guy before. Successfully that is.” God, what was wrong with him? Trying to fuck up a sure thing? _Shut up!_

“Well, I’m very flattered. I can’t wait till we get to my room and I can show you just _how_ much.”

The liquor was racing in his veins, practically making it feel like he was ready to burst at the seams, skin tingling, holding back from full out vibrating onto some astral plane, but instead, Credence just nodded, and then impulsively reached out to take Percy’s hand, squeezing once, twice- the elevator dinged, and the doors opened.

Percy didn’t quite sprint for the third door down as Credence followed, drawn like a moth to a flame, and the second the door clicked open and the lock snicked shut, he barely had time to appreciate the size and lavish design of that particular room before he was being pressed into the door, Percy’s lips hot and wet against his own, while his hands crept up under the back of his shirt, fingers bruising hard into his skin, holding him like he expected Credence to vanish any moment.

“Fucking, christ, you taste like mint.”

“It’s the mint.” Credence answered lamely, blinking to clear the haze in his vision, catching a wry grin from Percy.

“Smartass. I know the ingredients of a mojito. Come on, hop up.”

He wrapped his arms around the back of the man’s neck and did just that, only for Percy’s strong arms to _catch_ him, holding him flush to his body and still up against the door, he ground his half hard cock between Credence’s legs and made his own arousal surge to the forefront of his brain.

“Fuck!”

“God… you’re so _sensitive_.”

Percy’s hand on his ass squeezed and then made him gasp as they moved. Credence clung to him as his balance was thrown off, only to crash into the silky soft blankets on the bed, with Percy landing over him, kissing him once more, as his hands shifted up from his ass to start tugging down the waistband of his long dry swim trunks.

“Fuck. Can I put you in my mouth?”

Credence stammered out a quick _please and yes_ , as Percy moved from his lips to begin kissing down his neck, and worrying a mark into his skin that he hoped wouldn’t fade too quickly, while palming over him, his rough calloused hands providing delicious friction to his aching cock.

“Percy… I’m not going to last very long, I’m so-”

His vision whited out as Percy’s other hand rucked up his shirt while thumbing over a peaked nipple, and he felt the wet warmth of the man’s mouth sucking over his cock, halfway down his throat before Credence could even so much as draw a ragged breath.

His hips started thrusting up and Percy didn’t even stop him, he just swallowed around the length of Credence’s cock and kept going till his nose met the skin of his stomach, as if a man starving.

“Fuck, fuck, wait, no, I’m going to-”

His hand carded roughly through Percy’s hair, begging him without a word to stop, to slow down, it was all too much, sensory overload, he’d just jerked off in the showers after leaving the pool, maybe three hours back, and already he was dying to come again.

Credence bit back a whine, and arched his back as he came, Percy’s throat convulsing around him and drinking every drop of his release, before pulling back to kiss the side of his bare hip, tugging his shorts the rest of the way off.

“Are you-”

Credence blinked, dazed, and watched as Percy methodically shucked off his thin jacket and shirt, before leaning back down to kiss him silent. He had to mumble to get his point across, hugging Percy tightly and kissing him between words.

“Do you want me to take care of you?”

“I’m not sure… are you okay? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to… rush you. I just, you looked so lovely...and god, you sound so _hot_ when you’re about to come.”

Credence could feel himself blushing, and he gently nudged at Percy’s shoulder, urging him onto his back so he could look down at him, dark eyes glassy, lips swollen from kissing and sucking him off like a fucking angel, naked from the waist down with a noticeable bulge in his nice pants. His hand gravitated down to cup it without much thought.

Percy groaned, and thrust against his palm, rolling his hips.

Credence mumbled, before he lost his nerve from the alcohol,

“You’re uh, you’re very hot yourself. I kinda want to put your dick in my mouth pronto now. Unless you want to uh, fuck me?”

His voice broke off into a squeak, and he saw Percy’s eyes widen.

“You… we don’t have to- I just wanted to hold you. Please you… fuck I’m not very good at this.” He kept moving, little abortive moves of his hips, fucking Credence’s hand, until he finally got the point, and slid the zipper down just enough to ease his fingers into Percy’s pants, and wrap his hand properly over the man’s cock, still over a layer of cotton.

“It’s okay… I liked it, a lot.”

Credence’s voice dropped to a raspy whisper, and he put his other hand on Percy’s chest, petting over the silver and brown hairs speckled there, taking the initiative to duck down and kiss right above his heart, before glancing up at him and smiling, “Whatever you want. I’ve got all night.”

“I’m going to embarrass myself if you keep that up.”

Percy tilted his head up, and Credence ducked down to kiss him again, moaning a little at the feel of the fabric getting wet under his fingers, feeling the heat of the man’s cock as it twitched in his hand. It was amazing how powerful that something so simple made him feel. Percy’s arm curved around his waist, and kept him close as he chased after his own climax, and Credence almost wished he’d fought harder to be able to taste him as he came. Instead, Percy gasped against Credence’s lips, and groaned when his cock pulsed out his release, further wetness seeping into his boxers, slicking Credence’s fingers.

 

*

 

He didn’t end up staying over, as Percy said he had an early conference call. Instead, he drove home and went straight to shower and think about the man and how wrecked he’d sounded falling apart under Credence’s hand.

 

Percy was back at the bar the next night, and _that_ time, Credence was the one who asked Tina for the check, and dragged Percy back to his room. After a couple nights of not quite fooling around and avoiding the topic of full on sex, Credence was surprised to hear that someone like Percy felt he wasn’t meant for anything permanent. He considered himself too busy to be able to commit. Too married to work, he joked.

His business trip was being extended to almost two weeks, and as such, he was having to downsize from the suite to a beach cabin, which Credence didn’t mind at all. It meant he could skip the bar and just head over after he got off work. The bungalows were much closer to the pool and the ocean than the main hotel building.

“How do you want me tonight Percy?”

Credence smirked over at him from the porch, and cocked his hip, one hand resting on it, tempted to just pull off his shirt right there, though no further seduction was truly necessary, Percy could probably bend him over the railing and fuck him right in full view of the shore and he’d only worry about scandalizing the fish.

“I want you to stay. The night. If you can.”

Credence blinked and then nodded, pushing off the railing to come fall into his embrace, welcoming the desperate kiss. Percy always kissed him like he hadn’t just seen him the night before. Hadn’t just sucked him off within an inch of his life, or fingered him until he begged for him to stop because it was _too_ much and too good.

They barely got the door to the porch closed before Percy was pulling at his shirt, helping him out of it, kicking away his sandals and then Credence was almost sticking his hand down the man’s pants, fumbling with the zip and mouthing along his neck, biting hard at the junction of his shoulder.

“Fuck, baby, you’re gonna make me come before I’ve gotten you naked.”

“So?”

“So I want to fuck you.”

“Really?”

Credence pulled away, licking his lips and watching how Percy’s eyes tracked the movement before echoing it. “If you’re okay? I bought some stuff. Condoms. I’ve got everything. We can take as long as you need.”

‘ _Just a stupid crush_ ’ he’d been telling Queenie the other day.

Just a hot businessman in from the mainland, and not there for long.

Just a really fucking bad idea that he didn’t seem to know how to stop repeating.

But despite telling himself not to, Credence still felt it, the nervousness swirling in his gut, the skip in his step when he was going to clock out, _knowing_ he’d see Percy first thing.

“Yeah… okay. Let’s fuck.”

“You say it like it’s a trip to the beach.”

Credence grinned, almost giddy,

“It’ll be fun.”

Percy pulled away from him just enough to shuck off his pants and then fumble in the bedside drawer for something. Credence helped himself out of his shirt and shorts, falling back onto the bed completely naked, letting his legs stay open, but not quite touching himself yet, rubbing his palms over his thighs, feeling how his skin broke into goosebumps. It wasn’t as if he’d fingered himself every morning since he met Percy, hoping it would help him prepare for the main event that just… kept being pushed off. Until now.

Percy was so confident, so self aware of every little thing, and it made Credence only like him more. His eyes had crinkles, laugh lines, he thought, and his hair was silver at the temples, but he didn’t _seem_ twice Credence’s age, though that’s what he was. Tina checked his ID every time he went to the bar, even though she didn’t need to, she claimed it was for her own job security.

“We ID everyone who looks under forty.”

Percy had joked that there was a better way to hit on him on Credence’s behalf, but it wasn’t necessary. Credence was quite frankly amazed that out of everyone in the hotel, _he’d_ been the one to catch Percy’s interest. Jacob had told him that if he needed to order breakfast in bed, he wouldn’t tell anyone, and Credence had been bright pink for a good couple hours, until someone asked if he was sunburned or if he always looked like that.

“Okay, you ready?”

Credence blinked, bringing himself back to the present, and he nodded, watching as Percy climbed onto the bed, kneeling between his legs and slicking his fingers up before carefully rubbing over the tight clench of muscle beneath his sack.

Just the _idea_ of being penetrated was enough to make Credence fully hard, and he thought he liked Percy just fingering him through an orgasm, usually while holding him close, whether in the bed or on the one night they’d taken a very pointless bath together, and then needed a shower.

That was even better, because now Percy could watch his face for every reaction, and Credence just ground down, demanding more when hardly one finger was halfway in. He gritted his teeth and reached out for Percy’s shoulders, dragging him down for a kiss before gasping,

“I can take two, please, just, hurry. I don’t want to come until you’re inside of me.”

“Fuck… Cree, you can’t just say that.”

“I did, too late.”

Another kiss, a peck that time more than anything, and Percy was finally giving him what he wanted, a second slow press and easy stroke against his prostate, just enough to tease a whimper out of him, and Credence could hear Percy’s breathing start to become ragged.

“Okay, just tell me when.”

Credence reached down to grasp Percy’s cock, loosely tugging his fingers over the head, dripping onto the sheets, and he felt his hips jolt down unconsciously.

“Now.”

“Baby, I need to put a condom on, just give me a sec-”

“I don’t work tomorrow. It’s okay. You can come inside me.”

Percy’s forehead pressed against his, and he gave Credence a rather distracted kiss.

“God… okay. If you’re sure.”

“Yeah.”

He watched as Percy gently withdrew his fingers and applied fresh lube to his cock, hissing out a breath at his own hand, before shuffling forward to nudge the tip of it against where Credence felt the gnawing ache inside him.

Credence didn’t even give the man a chance to go slow, lifting his legs to cross his ankles behind his waist, before surging up to kiss Percy and pull him in, relishing the burn and the stretch, the _fullness_ and the fact they’d never been closer than in that instant. He could feel Percy trembling against him, bracing up over the bed, trying desperately not to collapse and crush him, as he whispered how _good_ and _tight_ and _wonderful_ it was, finally being able to fuck Credence.

“Thank you.”

That was all he could manage, at least up until Percy pulled out a touch, and started to _move_.

Oh, and then sparks were bursting behind his closed eyes, and little breathy sounds of agony were leaving his throat, or were they coming from Percy? He wasn’t sure.

Either way, within barely a few minutes of Percy starting to find his own rhythm, Credence was gone, drowning in bliss, coming untouched onto his stomach and halfway up his chest, shuddering and clinging to Percy’s neck and shoulders, kissing him everywhere he could reach. He felt Percy finish soon after, his hips stilling against Credence’s waist as warmth bloomed inside him and a firm hand stroked down his side, soothing him as he began to withdraw again.

Credence weakly protested, as he felt come start to ooze out of him, and Percy murmured something about needing to clean him up.

“Wait, please, stay.”

“I can’t leave you like this. It’ll be sticky and gross, baby.”

The cold swipe of the washrag between his legs made him shiver even as the endearment made his heart sing, so when Percy finally returned to the bed and pulled him into his arms, he smiled, snuggled against the man’s firm chest, kissing him above his heart.

“Did I do okay?”

Percy sighed,

“Cree, you’re lovely. You were perfect.”

Credence still felt somehow like something was off, but he accepted the compliment, and let his eyes fall shut, as Percy’s arm stayed at his back and his other hand pushed his sweat damp hair off his forehead.

 

* * *

 

 

The light fell silver and blue where they met. Moonlight mingled with the white surf of the dark waves as silence reigned in the night and between them.

Their hands laced together in the dark, skin warm after the hot day they spent watching each other cautiously from opposite sides of the swimming pool. Percival pretended to read a newspaper, Credence had pretended to watch over the kids. Both tried to act like they wouldn’t rather be in bed.

It was both wonderful and terrifying how quickly they fell into routine. Up the muddy slope and through the forest, and down, down, to where the sand was silver in the night light, where Percival's cabin was hidden. On the terrace, his book laid abandoned since day one, opened somewhere around page thirty. The back of it was still somewhat damp after the rain; last night he had been far too preoccupied in untangling himself from Credence’s limbs to take a simple book inside. It wasn't even all that interesting. Not nearly as interesting as Credence.

They’d stayed outside for some time, like castaways after a storm, breathing in the salty air as they sat on the sand, Percival's arm wrapped around Credence's waist like a wild vine, Credence's head tucked under Percival's chin. Credence was taller, it was painfully obvious every time they walked side by side, and under the lifeguard shirt he was still wearing even in the awful heat, his body was like marble carved by some forgotten masters of chisel, and yet every time Percival offered him some kind of affection, Credence quickly turned quiet and pliant, surprised by his endeavours.

He certainly wasn’t the first young man to cross Percival’s path. The boy’s he’d known were like the tide - they came to him and then went back out, off to live their lives, once they burned for him in a marvellous spark of light, made him _feel_ something, even if only for a night. Some of them wanted to stay, charmed by his handsome suits and sweet words, perfected over the years. Some of them knew it was nothing more than a mutually beneficial exchange, his experience for their youth, kindness for obedience. None were allowed to stay.

But Credence- Percival didn’t know why he had allowed it to happen in the first place. Maybe it was the tropical heat messing up with his blood, slowing his thoughts. Or maybe it was Credence himself, a sack of bones bending easily to his will, not because he was weak, but because he _wanted_ to.

Percival’s heart continued to beat on steadily, slowly, and nothing gave away the war playing in his mind. Tomorrow, he thought. Tomorrow.

He knew there was no tomorrow, not for them.

It felt as if he missed his accidental lover already, his chaste kisses turned frantic under his guidance, his breathy voice breaking in bliss, the longing gaze of his feline eyes observing Percival from atop the bed, lazy and intrigued, as always, beautiful. And he missed the simplicity, the weight of Credence's head on his shoulder, the scent of his skin.

Credence sighed against his chest. Maybe he could sense it too, the inevitable end of them.

His fingers dug into Credence's flesh, easily finding their way under his thin white shirt. It was basically his hotel uniform. On Wednesday night’s, when he was free, Percival saw him in more casual attire. In black, Credence looked solemn, in green - like a lost merman. Percival shared the last bit aloud, forgetting to bite his tongue in time, but Credence didn't seem offended. He took it as an _unusually specific complement._

The waves were getting stronger as the evening wind kicked in, whispering in the palms trees and across the rocky shore, and Percival thought his life would be much easier if he just could turn into sea foam like Andersen's mermaids, or maybe into a statue of salt or ice, forever locked near the cabin, overlooking the ocean. He would rather carve out his own heart with a gifted dagger than hurt Credence, but it must happen.

There simply was no way to make it work. He had known it from the beginning, deep down. Back home, his wife was waiting for his return. His kids were expecting gifts from another _business trip._ Perhaps a postcard or two.

If only his wife knew what Percival was doing and with whom. Over the course of the last two weeks he entertained himself thinking about which one of them she would want to kill first - Percival, Credence or perhaps herself, upon seeing what kind of relationship she had been living in for the past nine years. Most of the time the thought filled him with gloom rather than amusement.

The only souvenir he wanted to bring with himself was the young man tucked safely in his arms, trusting him even though he didn't deserve it.

Somewhere north in the town, a church clock struck midnight.  The beach was quiet if not for the sound of waves melting softly into the shore and their own soft breaths.

"Your hands are cold."

There was always an undertone of apology in Credence's words, as if it was somehow his fault that Percival’s hands were cold.

"Shall we go home?"

Percival wasn’t sure when _my room_ had turned into _home_. Not even two weeks. Three nights in the hotel, then ten nights in the more secluded cabin. Ten times he kissed Credence behind the changing room near the swimming pool, ten times he _had_ him, ten times he watched him come undone.

Their feet stumbled up the few wooden steps, their lips met before they reached the front door. Against the balustrade, Percival licked into Credence’s mouth, cupping his face in his hands, thumbs swiping up his cheekbones, to hold him in place and keep him from running away as they kissed. Even ten nights later, he still couldn’t believe Credence was coming with him willingly.

His hand moved down a carefully planned path - Credence’s earlobe, the gentle curve of his throat, the edge of his collarbone, his nipple, hardening as Percival hovered over it for a moment, the toned muscles of his stomach contracting under his palm rhythmically - until it rested between Credence’s legs and he fidgeted, grinding into it, already hard, always impatient.

A sudden fit of boldness made him fall to his knees, nuzzling into the fabric restlessly, making Credence whimper. It was a sweet melody, one telling him about want and hunger and the impossible, and Percival felt it echo in his own blood, a flower in his stomach blooming full of heavy heat.

His hands were swift, skilled both in unzipping and unbuttoning, and soon he had shoved Credence’s slacks down his thighs as his grey briefs followed. Under his palms, Credence shivered. The air was getting colder. Maybe it would rain again.

Dusky shadows played on Credence’s skin when Percival touched him, a single fingernail running up, up, up, to the pinkish tip of his cock, almost heart-shaped if he looked closely enough, gently pulling the foreskin away to expose it, provoking a bead of precome to bloom under his fingers.

Credence tried to demand more, arching into his palm, and Percival didn’t need any other encouragement. Percival’s lips closed around the head of Credence’s cock, and he hummed, groping the curve of the boy’s ass, pushing him deeper in. Even in that moment of what should have been surrender, Percival had to be in control.

It was almost ridiculous, the way his own arousal soared as he kept swirling his tongue, applying just enough pressure to draw one moan after another, and when Credence’s fingers curled in his hair, he let him press even closer, until it was hard to breathe and his nose brushed against the dark hair, immobilised as Credence came down his throat, groaning. Percival felt his stomach muscles flex as his own cock twitched in his pants.

He kissed the _I’m sorry it was so fast_ , off of Credence’s cherry lips. He didn’t want to listen to any more apologies, not when it was _his_ place to apologize, to beg for forgiveness.

When they fell on the bed at last, Credence’s pants having been long forgotten somewhere near the threshold, the rest of their clothes had been shed on the way, Percival reached for the emptying bottle of lube almost blindly. He didn’t bother to think about condoms, not when Credence was so eager to be taken bare; though he knew, he would never do it with anyone else, one more new mistake he’d made with the young man. Around Credence, he was losing his mind.

He wanted. He craved. He was hungry for the looks of admiration and worship on Credence’s pretty face, the puzzlement appearing on it every time Percival did something as trivial as shave in the morning or brush his teeth or call him some sweet, stupid name. His kitten, his darling, his _baby_.

And he adored, for the first time in his life perhaps. He adored how long Credence’s neck seemed when he was baring it while waiting for another kiss, just like he did now, luring Percival to come in closer. His teeth worried the barely tanned skin and he adored every little gasp that left Credence’s mouth.

He warmed the lube up between his fingers, revealing its somewhat sweet scent, and his fingers drummed down Credence's thigh, avoiding his limp cock and barely grazing over his balls, falling down where his skin was a bit puffy, his muscles loose enough after the festival of fucking going on over the last week to take the first finger easily, even if Credence murmured something, too quietly for Percival to hear, some variation of _too soon_ or _too much_ , he guessed by the sweat pearling above Credence's brows.

And yet, it took him only a few strokes more to feel the shy push, the roll of Credence's hips against his palm, sucking his fingers deeper into the soft heat.

He adored how sensitive Credence was, how young, how easy to please. It was always so simple with the younglings. They were all so easily impressed and Credence wasn't any different.

“Are you ready, darling?” He asked with a smile, baring his teeth. In the dark, they gleamed like wolves fangs.

“For what?”

Credence was wonderfully puzzled, already far too gone to focus on anything, panting when Percival’s fingers moved back, leaving him open and fluttering, lube glistening over his entrance.

“Tonight, I’ll ruin you, baby.”

The sound that escaped Credence's lips had have come down from another world, like an angelic call perhaps, and his eyes were dark and shiny, following each of Percival's movements, joining the points - hand to lube, lube to cock, cock to his hole - his body awaiting him, welcoming his cock.

Percival wanted it rough. He wanted to lose control, to fuck Credence into the mattress until he knew how little he meant to Percival, how useless he was, understood that his only purpose was to wrap his long legs around Percival's waist and accept his cock. It was Percival’s way of pushing him to move on.

Credence's eyes screwed shut but his mouth was open, sweet whimpers and _please, oh please_ , slipping off his tongue every time Percival thrust in, burying himself deep inside Credence only to move back and slam in again, thumbs pressing into the sharp edge of Credence's hipbones. It was so easy to keep going on and on, relishing the feeling of how tight Credence was, how eager to please him. The boy knew he was always supposed to keep his legs open. He was a fast learner.

Percival had never kept anyone around long enough to know the benefits of mapping someone else's body, looking for the sweet spots, remembering where to touch and where to kiss, where to push and where to give up.

_Not my back_ , Credence said one night, and he didn't ask why. The view was an answer itself.

Percival wished he could hate Credence. That would have made things so much easier.

He wished he could feel nothing at all.

But instead of hating, tears stung at his eyes, and he pressed his forehead into the hollow of Credence's neck, hiding his face against where the boy’s heart was beating hard. As his lean fingers curled behind his back, with sharp nails digging so deep into his skin Percival hissed in pain. He deserved it, he deserved all of it and more.

The tension buzzing under his skin was rising, threatening to burn him alive if he didn't do something, and so he sped up, fucking into Credence as he never had before, and he kissed his way to Credence's mouth, devouring him for one last time, ready to take all of his softness away, to brush it off his cheeks, consume it so no one else could have it, not now, not ever.

Credence's lashes fluttered when he came again, with Percival's name on his tongue, whispered rather than screamed, and it didn't take him much more to follow, his release forced out by the muscles twitching around his cock, and he collapsed atop of Credence, panting into his chest, rolling his hips one last time.

And even though he was rough, even though he was selfish, Credence melted into his embrace, holding him close, his legs still wrapped around him, moving away only when he was soft again.

Percival reached for the wet cloth on reflex, used to it.

He hated himself for allowing it to happen. He wasn’t supposed to get used to anything so good. He couldn’t have. He shouldn’t have been so gentle with Credence, with his lovely, perfect boy after he’d fucked him so roughly. Used him thoroughly.

But he was.

In his suitcase, his wedding ring was waiting to be worn. His hand felt strange without it.

Credence hummed when he laid down next to him again, but for the first time Percival was looking at the ceiling rather than the young man at his side.

"We could meet again sometime after the season ends," He heard the soft whisper just as lips caressed his ear. "I'll be back on mainland for college. In autumn. We could go for walks, and then go back to your place, or mine."

Percival’s fists clenched. His heart was beating so fast he was worried it might pierce through his ribs.

Maybe it would be better that way.

"I'm afraid you’ve misunderstood something. You see baby," The endearment felt like poison now on the tip of his tongue, "there's no autumn. There's nothing _we_ could do. This is it."

Credence moved back, leaning up on his elbow so his eyes were above Percy’s own, shining despite the darkness. “What do you mean, Percy?” Oh god. He was making the boy cry. Another searing jolt of pain shot through his chest, his heart skipped a beat.

Credence’s voice was hesitant, as if he was trying to believe it was all a game, a joke maybe, something Percival would kiss away in a minute with a smile and a _Sorry I scared you, I do want this_. But under the thin layer of doubt, something else was taking hold - despair rooted deep in Credence’s soul, the same thing that had made him fall into Percival’s arms in the first place was becoming something dark and endless, seeping out as he waited for Percival’s answer.

“What I mean, kitten, is that my wife is waiting for me at home. You were nothing more than a distraction from work. Something to fill my dull summer nights.”

Percival couldn’t recall the last time he had told so many lies using so little words and Credence- He shifted back, arms curling around his knees, helplessly trying to hide his nakedness, and he looked devastated, fully on the verge of tears.

Credence was struggling to understand, Percival could see it in the way his brows furrowed and his teeth worried his lip, and he’d give everything to be someone else - not another man altogether, but another Percival Graves, a wiser one, braver one, a lonelier one.

If he had been wiser, he wouldn’t let any of this happen. If he had been braver, he would deal with the consequences like a man, not a coward. If he was alone in the world, and was open to change, he’d have let himself love Credence.

“You can stay for the night,” He hated that his voice sounded so calm. No one could guess what was happening in his head. “I don’t throw my boys away. Especially when they’ve been as good as you, for me.”

Credence flinched at the words and his dark eyes darted his way one more time. He was hurt, but he wasn’t surprised.

Percival decidedly wanted to rip his own heart out.

“No, I- I’d better go.”

“As you wish.”

The quiet steps of his departure were barely audible, but the old steps cracked under Credence’s weight and Percival ran to the window, hiding behind the curtains.

He watched Credence go until his shadow disappeared between the palm trees. That was when he fractured, stumbled back over to the bed, falling onto the mattress and curling into the sheets, pulling the pillow that had been under Credence’s head to his chest, drowning in his scent, sweet and fresh like the ocean breeze as he let his sobs consume him.

How could it have come to that?

Why had he been so stupid?

He still didn’t know.

Credence’s heartbroken face remained in his mind, long after he’d left the hotel behind, found his seat on the plane, and even when his family greeted him at the gate, smiling faces suddenly a blur under his tears. She thought it was his relief at being home, in her arms, and he let her. There was no point acting otherwise. It would simply destroy everything the two weeks away had meant to her. He stroked her hair, and held her to his chest, pretending things were different. Wondering just what Credence might have said upon seeing him step out of the gate, if he would run and jump into his arms, or wait patiently and kiss him demurely on the cheek, waiting to show his true affection when they got home.

Home.

He’d had one, for two weeks, and he’d gotten an angel plucked straight from heaven to go with it too.

 

* * *

 

 

**end**

  


 


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